Liquid dispensing toilet bowl cleaner

ABSTRACT

A liquid dispenser for dispensing a liquid from the rim of a toilet bowl such that a controlled, consistent amount of liquid is dispensed into each flush. The liquid dispenser includes a bottle for holding the liquid, a base for holding the bottle and for providing a liquid feed conduit between the bottle and a dispensing plate, and a hook for suspending the base from the rim of the toilet bowl. The dispensing plate is integral with or attached to the base, downwardly inclined at an angle of from about 10 to about 30 degrees from the horizontal, and serves to distribute liquid from the feed conduit to a dispensing position on the upper surface of the dispensing plate where the liquid is contacted by flushing water from the toilet bowl. The dispensing plate has various configurations that assist in the distribution of the liquid to the dispensing position on the upper surface of the dispensing plate. In a preferred version of the liquid dispenser, the dispensing plate has capillary channels in its upper surface for distributing the liquid, which has a viscosity of from about 2000 to about 4000 centipoise from the feed conduit to the dispensing position, and a plurality of engagement means by which the bottle is held in position, as well a barrier means and openings to control flow of liquid on the surface of the dispensing plate.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/614,873, filedJul. 12, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,120 which is in turn acontinuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/460,570, filed Dec. 14,1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,564.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to liquid dispensers and in particular to devicesfor dispensing quantities of liquids, such as cleaning and/or fresheningliquids, from under the rim of a toilet bowl.

Toilet bowls require care to prevent the buildup of unsightly deposits,to reduce odors and to prevent bacteria growth. Traditionally, toiletbowls have been cleaned, deodorized and disinfected by manual scrubbingwith a liquid or powdered cleaning and sanitizing agent. This task hasrequired manual labor to keep the toilet bowl clean.

In order to eliminate the manual scrubbing, various automatic continuouscleaning toilet bowl cleaning products have been proposed. One type ofproduct comprises a solid block or solid particles of a cleansing andfreshening substance that is suspended from the rim of a toilet bowl ina container that is placed in the path of the flushing water. U.S. Pat.No. 3,529,309 shows an example of this type of toilet bowl cleaningsystem. The solid cleaning blocks have a short lifetime and the releaseof cleaning and deodorizing agents drops off as the solid blockdeteriorates.

Toilet cleaning systems that use a liquid cleaning agent have also beendeveloped. For example, European Patent Application EP-0538957 disclosesa cleansing and/or freshening unit capable of being suspended from therim of a toilet bowl for the purpose of introducing liquid activesubstances from a bottle into the flushing water with each flush.Another similar liquid dispensing toilet bowl cleaning system isdescribed in European Patent Application EP-0785315. This applicationacknowledges that one problem with the device disclosed in EP-0538957 isthat as the liquid level in the dispensing bottle falls, the rate atwhich liquid is dispensed falls with time.

The dispensing device described in EP-0785315 was developed as aproposed solution to this problem, and includes a dispensing bottle witha structure that permits both the flow of liquid from the bottle and areturn flow of air from outside the bottle to inside the bottle.

While the dispensing device disclosed in EP-0785315 provides analternative to the solid block toilet cleaning systems described aboveand to the liquid dispensing device disclosed in EP-0785315, it also hasdisadvantages. For instance, the device described in EP-0875315 requiresthe use of a porous, liquid-absorbing mass (i.e. a sponge) which alwayscommunicates with the cleaning liquid contained in the dispensing bottleand is located in the path of the flushing water of the toilet. Thissystem is unduly expensive to manufacture and cannot provide precisecontrol over the volume of liquids dispensed in the flushing water.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved device that can dispense aliquid cleaning, disinfecting and deodorizing substance into the toilet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there isprovided a liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 1.

It has now been determined that the release rate of the liquid isinfluenced significantly by the angle of the dispensing plate withreference to the horizontal, the viscosity of the liquid beingdispensed, and the intensity of the flushing action. The dependency ofperformance of the dispenser on the intensity of flushing action may belessened by appropriate adjustment of the angle between the dispensingplate and the horizontal, as well as by adjustment of the viscosity ofthe liquid dispensed.

In a preferred form, the liquid dispenser is suitable for dispensing aliquid from the rim of a toilet bowl. In this form, the suspension meanscomprise a suspension hook and a guide channel integral with themounting structure. The suspension hook has an upper end hook portionthat is placed over the toilet rim and a lower end that is slidablyinserted in the guide channel such that the lower end of the suspensionhook engages an inner surface of the guide channel thereby suspendingthe mounting structure and the bottle under or adjacent the toilet rim.In this preferred form, the upper surface of the dispensing plate has acollecting cavity in fluid communication with the feed conduit of thebase and in fluid communication with the plurality of feed channels, andthe upper surface of the dispensing plate also has a venting slot influid communication with the collecting cavity and an edge of the base.The venting slot permits ambient air to enter the bottle to displace theliquid dispensed from the bottle. The dispensing plate in this preferredform may also include a deflector secured to an edge of the dispensingplate. The deflector is dimensioned so as to be suitable to contact aninner surface of the toilet bowl when the liquid dispenser is installedon the rim of the toilet bowl. When the toilet is flushed, a portion ofthe flushing water contacts a dispensing position on the upper surfaceof the dispensing plate thereby washing the liquid into the flush water.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there isprovided a device for dispensing a liquid from the rim of a toilet bowlas defined by claim 24.

In a preferred embodiment, the mounting structure also includes a lowerplate with extends outwardly from a wall of the piercing post. Thedispensing plate is integral with or attached to the mounting structurein spaced apart relationship with the lower plate of the mountingstructure, and an upper surface of the dispensing plate receives liquidfrom the feed conduit. The lower plate and the dispensing plate aresuitable to convey the liquid from the feed conduit to a dispensingposition on the upper surface of the dispensing plate.

In a preferred form of the second version of the invention, the liquiddispenser is suitable for dispensing a liquid from the rim of a toiletbowl. In this form, the suspension means comprise a suspension hook anda guide channel integral with the base. The suspension hook has an upperend hook portion that is placed over the toilet rim and a lower end thatis slidably inserted in the guide channel such that the lower end of thesuspension hook engages an inner surface of the guide channel therebysuspending the base and the bottle under or adjacent the toilet rim. Inthis preferred form, the dispensing plate is suitable to be upwardlyinclined with respect to an inner surface of the toilet bowl when theliquid dispenser is installed on the rim of the toilet bowl, and thelower plate is also suitable to be upwardly inclined with respect to aninner surface of the toilet bowl when the liquid dispenser is installedon the rim of the toilet bowl. The spacing between the upper surface ofthe dispensing plate and the lower plate of the base varies along thelength of the dispensing plate such that a first spacing between theedge of the lower plate nearest the inner surface of the toilet bowl andthe edge of the dispensing plate nearest the inner surface of the toiletbowl is less than a second spacing between the edge of the lower platefurthest from the inner surface of the toilet bowl and the edge of thedispensing plate furthest from the inner surface of the toilet bowl. Thedispensing plate may also include a deflector secured to an edge of thedispensing plate. The deflector is dimensioned so as to be suitable tocontact an inner surface of the toilet bowl when the liquid dispenser isinstalled on the rim of the toilet bowl. When the toilet is flushed, aportion of the flushing water contacts a dispensing position on theupper surface of the dispensing plate thereby washing the liquid intothe flush water.

In both versions of the invention, the base holds the bottle such thatthe bottle is supported in an inverted position with the mouth of thebottle projecting downwardly such that the liquid can be dispensed fromthe bottle by gravity. Preferably, the bottle is shallow and compact tominimize the head space in the bottle. When the bottle is filled withliquid, negative pressure or a vacuum (i.e., an equilibrium pressure)exists in the head space in the bottle. After installation of the bottleon the base, a portion of the liquid from the bottle flows onto adispensing position on the dispensing plate. When flush water washes theliquid from the dispensing position on the dispensing plate, furtherliquid is dispensed from the bottle and ambient air passes into thebottle to displace the liquid dispensed from the bottle. The volume ofambient air passing into the bottle may be controlled by venting slotsor conduits on or adjacent the dispensing plate. In this manner, ambientair can act as a meter that allows for a linear and consistent releaseof liquid formula by assuring that the pressure in the bottle returns toequilibrium pressure after each flush.

The present invention provides a significant improvement over priorliquid dispensing devices, such as those disclosed in EP-0538957 andEP-0785315, wherein a sponge or similar porous absorbent material wasplaced in the fluid path of the liquid to prevent the liquid fromquickly flowing out of an inverted bottle. As detailed above, the use ofa porous mass in these prior liquid dispensing devices did not allow forprecise control over the volume of liquids dispensed in the flushingwater due to the variability in the manufacturing of the porous medium.

It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a liquiddispensing device that can convey liquid from a liquid reservoir to adispensing position on a dispensing plate in a controlled consistentmanner. More particularly, it is an advantage of the invention toprovide a liquid dispenser for dispensing a liquid from the rim of atoilet bowl such that a controlled, consistent amount of liquid isdispensed into each flush.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description, appended claims and accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a liquid dispensing device in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front, elevational view of a liquid dispensing device inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view of a liquid dispensing device inaccordance with the invention, the left side being the mirror imagethereof;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a liquid dispensing device in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of a liquid dispensing device in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a liquid dispensing device in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view showing the components of a liquid dispensingdevice;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8—8 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of a bottle and a base of a liquiddispensing device just before installation of the bottle on the base;

FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view of a first version of a dispensingplate of a liquid dispensing device;

FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view of a second version of a dispensingplate;

FIG. 10C is a cross-sectional view of a third version of a dispensingplate;

FIG. 11A is a top view of a dispensing plate taken along line 11A—11A ofFIG. 8;

FIG. 11B is a top view of another dispensing plate;

FIG. 11C is a top view of yet another dispensing plate;

FIG. 11D is a top view of still another version of a dispensing plate;

FIG. 11E is another variant of a dispensing plate;

FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional view of a liquid dispensing device inaccordance with the invention installed on an open rim type toilet bowl;

FIG. 13 is a schematic sectional view of a liquid dispensing device inaccordance with the invention installed on a boxed rim type toilet bowl;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged partial sectional side view of a liquiddispensing device in accordance with the invention installed on a toiletbowl;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a liquid dispensingdevice in accordance with the invention showing another version;

FIG. 15A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 15A—15A; and

FIG. 16 is cross-sectional view of another embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a liquid dispensing device inaccordance with the invention, showing yet another version;

FIG. 18 is a front, elevational view of the liquid dispensing device ofFIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a right side elevational view of the liquid dispensing deviceof FIG. 17, the left side being the mirror image thereof;

FIG. 20 is a bottom view of the liquid dispensing device of FIG. 17;

FIG. 21 is a rear view of the liquid dispensing device of FIG. 17;

FIG. 22 is a top view of the liquid dispensing device of FIG. 17;

FIG. 23 is an exploded view showing the components of the liquiddispensing device of FIG. 17;

FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 24—24 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 25 is a partial sectional view of a bottle and a base of a liquiddispensing device of FIG. 17, just before installation of the bottle onthe base;

FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 26—26 of FIG. 27;

FIG. 27 is a top view of a base of the liquid dispensing device of FIG.17 taken along line 27—27 of FIG. 25;

FIG. 27A is a top view of another version of the base of the liquiddispensing device of FIG. 17 taken along line 27—27 of FIG. 25;

FIG. 28 is a top view of a dispensing plate taken along line 28—28 ofFIG. 24;

FIG. 29a is a cross-sectional view of a capillary channel taken alongline 29 a—29 a of FIG. 28;

FIG. 29b is another cross-sectional view of a capillary channel takenalong line 29 a—29 a of FIG. 28;

FIG. 29c is yet another cross-sectional view of a capillary channeltaken along line 29 a—29 a of FIG. 28;

FIG. 29d is still another cross-sectional view of a capillary channeltaken along line 29 a—29 a of FIG. 28.

FIG. 29e is a further cross-sectional view of a capillary channel takenalong line 29 a—29 a of FIG. 28.

FIG. 29f is an additional cross-sectional view of a capillary channeltaken along line 29 a—29 a of FIG. 28.

FIG. 30 is a schematic sectional view of a liquid dispensing device inaccordance with the invention installed on an open rim type toilet bowl;and

FIG. 31 is a schematic sectional view of a liquid dispensing device inaccordance with the invention installed on a boxed rim type toilet bowl.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIGS. 1-9, there is shown a liquid dispenser 10 fordispensing a liquid from the rim of a toilet bowl. The liquid dispenser10 includes a bottle 18 for holding a liquid, a base 24 for holding thebottle 18, and a suspension hook 12 for suspending the base 24 and thebottle 18 from the rim of a toilet.

For ease of manufacture, the suspension hook 12, the bottle 18 and thebase 24 are formed as separate components as shown in FIG. 7. While avariety of materials may be used to form the suspension hook 12, thebottle 18 and the base 24, it is preferable to manufacture thesecomponents from an opaque thermoplastic material such as pigmentedpolyethylene or polypropylene. The liquid used in the dispenser may beany liquid formula having the cleaning, foaming, disinfecting andfragrancing characteristics required for the specific toilet cleaningapplication.

In a preferred form of the bottle 18 shown in FIG. 5, the bottle 18includes a clear or transparent view stripe 23 that extends verticallyon a portion of the otherwise opaque bottle 18. The clear view stripe 23allows the user to see the remaining level of liquid in the bottle 18.In one preferred form, the bottle 18 is loaded with approximately 45milliliters of liquid formula before the device is hooked on the rim.

The base 24 includes an integral elongated upright member 26 that has aguide channel 25 that extends the length of the upright member 26. Thesuspension hook 12 is inserted into the guide channel 25 when the base24 and bottle 18 are installed on a toilet rim. A lower end 13 of thesuspension hook 12 includes a tab portion 14 that engages the innersurface of the guide channel 25 in a press fit arrangement uponinsertion of the suspension hook 12 into the guide channel 25 such thatthe suspension hook 12 remains attached to the base 24. It can beappreciated that the telescoping arrangement of the guide channel 25 andthe suspension hook 12 allows the liquid dispenser 10 to fit the widevariety of toilet rim configurations.

The base 24 also includes a rear wall 36 that terminates at an upperedge 32. The rear wall 36 and the upper edge 32 create a mountingstructure 60 that supports the bottle 18 when the bottle 18 is installedon the base 24. On a central portion of the mounting structure 60, asseen in FIG. 7, there is provided an annular channel 37 that surrounds apiercing post 27 that is used to carry fluids from the bottle 18 whenthe liquid dispensing device 10 is installed on a toilet rim.

Referring to FIG. 9, the installation of the bottle 18 on the base 24 isshown in detail. The piercing post 27 of the base 24 comprises acylindrical tubular section 28 that forms a feed conduit 31. An upperend 29 of the tubular section 28 terminates obliquely to form anelliptical mouth.

The bottle 18 includes a circular mouth 19 that is covered by a closure20 that seals the liquid contents in the bottle 18 for shipment andstorage. In the version of the bottle shown in the FIG. 9, the closure20 is a thermoplastic cap with a channel that engages a circular flangeat the mouth 19 of the bottle 18. Other closures, such as foil orplastic film, would also be suitable for sealing the mouth 19 of thebottle 18. The central portion of the closure 20 shown in FIG. 9 has afrangible seal 21 with a circular area 22 of reduced thickness. Duringinstallation, the bottle 18 is oriented over the piercing post 27 of thebase 24 such that the circular inner wall of the closure 20approximately lines up with the circular outer surface of the piercingpost 27, and the bottle is moved in direction A until the upper end 29of the piercing post 27 causes the circular area 22 of the frangibleseal 21 to fracture. The feed conduit 31 of the base is then placed influid communication with the mouth 19 of the bottle 18 and liquid mayflow from the bottle 18 through the feed conduit 31 and out ofdispensing hole 38 at the bottom of the piercing post 27 by way ofgravity. By properly dimensioning the piercing post 27 and the closure20 and the mouth 19 of the bottle 18, a fluid tight seal is formed whenthe bottle is installed on the base 24.

At the bottom of the base 24, there is a liquid dispensing plate 40 thatassists in distribution of the liquid formula into the flush water. Thedispensing plate 40 may be a separate component that is attached to thebase or may be formed integral with the base 24. The dispensing plate 40is preferably formed from a non-porous thermoplastic material such aspigmented polyethylene or polypropylene.

FIGS. 8, 10A, 10B, 10C and 11A show the configuration of a first versionof the dispensing plate 40 and its positioning on the base 24. Referringfirst to FIG. 11A, it can be seen the dispensing plate 40 has an uppersurface 42 with a series of capillary channels 48 that radiate out froma collecting cavity 44 that is formed in the upper surface 42 at aposition inwardly spaced from an edge 43 of the base 24. The capillarychannels 48 may have a variety of transverse cross-sectional shapes, andpreferably, the capillary channels 48 have a square, rectangular ortriangular transverse cross-sectional shape.

Looking at FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, it can be seen that the depth of thecapillary channels 48 may also be configured in a variety of fashions.In FIG. 10A, the lower surface 49 of the capillary channel 48 iscoplanar with the lower surface 52 of the collecting cavity 44 from thecollecting cavity 44 to an outer end 50 of the capillary channel 48 suchthat the depth of the capillary channel 48 is substantially equal to thedepth of the collecting cavity 44. In FIG. 10B, the lower surface 49 bof the capillary channel 48 descends in a step-wise fashion from thelower surface 52 of the collecting cavity 44 to the outer end 50 of thecapillary channel 48. In FIG. 10C, the lower surface 49 c of thecapillary channel 48 is positioned below the lower surface 52 of thecollecting cavity 44 from the collecting cavity 44 to the outer end 50of the capillary channel 48 such that the depth of the capillary channel48 is greater than the depth of the collecting cavity 44.

Other depth configurations of the capillary channels 48 are alsopossible. For instance, the lower surface 49 of the capillary channel 48may be inclined downwardly in the direction of the its outer end 50 withrespect to the lower surface 52 of the collecting cavity 44. Each ofthese depthwise constructions of the capillary channels can serve tocontrol the distribution of liquid to the toilet as will be herein afterdescribed.

Looking at FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D and 11E, it can be seen that variouslayouts of the capillary channels 48 and the collecting cavity in theupper surface 42 of the dispensing plate 40 are also possible. In FIG.11A, the collecting cavity 44 has an oblong shape that is orientedsubstantially parallel to the direction of the major axis of thedispensing plate 40 and the capillary channels 48 radiate outward from aside of the oblong collecting cavity 44. In FIG. 11B, a collectingcavity 44 b has a crescent shape having its major axis orientedsubstantially parallel to the direction of the major axis of adispensing plate 40 b and capillary channels 48 b radiate outward from aside of the crescent collecting cavity 44 b. In FIG. 11C, a collectingcavity 44 c has an oblong shape having its major axis orientedsubstantially parallel to the direction of the major axis of adispensing plate 40 c and capillary channels 48 c radiate outward from aside of the oblong collecting cavity 44 c and increase in width as theymove away from the oblong collecting cavity 44 c.

In FIG. 11D, a collecting cavity 44 d has an oblong shape having itsmajor axis oriented substantially normal to the direction of the majoraxis of a dispensing plate 40 d and capillary channels 48 d radiateoutward from both sides of the oblong collecting cavity 44 d such that amajor portion of at least some of the capillary channels 48 d issubstantially parallel to the direction of the major axis of adispensing plate 40 d. In FIG. 11E, a collecting cavity 44 e has anoblong shape having its major axis oriented substantially parallel tothe direction of the major axis of a dispensing plate 40 e and capillarychannels 48 e radiate outward from a side of the oblong collectingcavity 44 e in a random fashion.

Turning now to FIG. 8, the positioning of the dispensing plate 40 withrespect to the other structures of the base 24 is best shown. Thedispensing plate 40 is attached to the base (whether in a separate stepor as part of the molding of the base) such that the collecting cavity44 of the dispensing plate 40 is placed in fluid communication with thefeed conduit 31 of the base 24. In the version of the invention shown inFIG. 8, the dispensing hole 38 at the bottom of the piercing post 27 isused to provide a fluid path between feed conduit 31 and the collectingcavity 44 of the dispensing plate 40. As a result of this configuration,liquid flows out of the bottle 18, into the feed conduit 31 of the base24, through the dispensing hole 38 and into the collecting cavity 44 ofthe dispensing plate 40. Liquid then flows from the collecting cavity 44of the dispensing plate 40 into the capillary channels 48 in the uppersurface 42 of the dispensing plate 40. The liquid then continues to movetoward the outer end 50 of the capillary channels 48 where the liquid isdispensed to the toilet as will be hereinafter described. Various meanscan be used to move the liquid from the collecting cavity 44 of thedispensing plate 40 into the capillary channels 48. First, the capillaryaction provided by adherence of the fluid to the sides of the capillarychannels 48 serves to move the liquid toward the outer end 50 of thecapillary channels 48. Second, the capillary channels 48 may have adepth greater than the depth of the collecting cavity 44, such as isshown in FIGS. 10B and 10C and described above, that serves to move theliquid from the collecting cavity 44 and toward the outer end 50 of thecapillary channels 48.

Third, the dispensing plate 40 may be inclined downwardly such that thecollecting cavity 44 is higher than the capillary channels 48. Forinstance, it can be seen in FIG. 8 that the dispensing plate 40 isangled downward at an angle X with respect to horizontal line H. In thisarrangement of the dispensing plate 40, the collecting cavity 44 ishigher than the capillary channels 48 and liquid flows downward from thecollecting cavity 44 to the capillary channels 48. It has beendiscovered that by arranging the dispensing plate 40 and the base 24such that angle X is between about 10 degrees and about 30 degrees,enhanced liquid flow properties can be attained. The downward angle ofthe dispensing plate 40 also serves to minimize water uptake into thebottle 18 during operation. Of course, each of these methods ofcontrolling liquid flow from the collecting cavity 44 into the capillarychannels 48 can be used alone or in conjunction with the other availablemethods.

During investigation of the optimal configuration of the dispenser, theactual mechanism of operation was closely studied. While we do not wishto be bound by theory, it is believed that the dispenser operates on aprinciple of air-liquid exchange mechanism. When the device is firstactivated, the active liquid present in the reservoir flows out into thecapillaries mainly under the combined influence of gravitational andcapillary forces. As this occurs, vacuum develops in the head spaceabove the liquid in the reservoir. This vacuum opposes the gravitationaland capillary forces pulling the liquid out of the reservoir, thusresulting in a decrease in the release rate, until release is completelyinhibited when the vacuum reaches a sufficient magnitude. From thispoint onward, release of liquid from the reservoir may occur only ifsome air enters the head space to decrease the level of vacuum. If waterenters the reservoir, it only leads to dilution of the active product,but not a decrease in its level. But, during flushing, a mixture of airand water enters into the reservoir, leading to some dilution as well asa decrease in the level of the product. The relative proportion of airand water entering into the reservoir during flushing determines theextent of dilution of the product, as well as the decrease in the levelthereof. Ideally, only air would be admitted to the reservoir duringflushing. In addition to the flows arising from the forces discussedabove, other factors enter into the flow of liquid from the reservoir,such as surface tension gradients on the surface of the liquid in thecapillaries, and diffusion of the surfactants, dyes and other componentspresent in the liquid. Such latter factors do not generally lead to adecrease in the level of liquid in the reservoir. Accordingly, theinflux of air into the reservoir head space is a necessary condition.

Several parameters were investigated, such as the angle at which thedispensing plate 40 is angled with respect to the horizontal, theviscosity of the liquid dispensed, the intensity of the flushing action,and the role of the capillaries on the capillary plate. These parameterswere investigated using an apparatus whereby the weight loss of theliquid in the dispenser could be measured as a function of the number offlushes (i.e. the release rate), the angle of the dispensing plate tothe horizontal could be varied between 0 and 30 degrees, the viscosityof the liquid dispensed could be varied between 2000 and 4000centipoise, using either 50 or 250 ml of water per flush, and dispensingplates either with or without the capillaries could be employed.

Relative to intensity of flushing, it is to be noted that the flushingintensity changes from location to location under the rim of a real-lifetoilet bowl. As anticipated, it was found that the release rate ofliquid in the reservoir increases with flushing intensity. That is, therelease rate when flushing with 250 ml of water is higher than the ratewhen flushing with 50 ml. Increasing the intensity of flushing usuallyincreases the degree of turbulence in the region between the capillaryplate and the exit hole of the reservoir. This increased turbulenceshould lead to an increased proportion of air to water entering into thereservoir during flushing. The net effect of this, as previouslyindicated, is an increase in the release rate. Flushing action, inaddition to creating turbulence, also causes mechanical vibration of thedispenser, which vibration creates instability in the air/liquidmeniscus or interface at the exit hole of the reservoir. The greater theinstability, the easier it is for the air bubble to enter the headspace. However, the magnitude of the difference of release rate dependsupon other factors, such as the angle of the dispensing plate, and theviscosity of the fluid.

In studying the angle between the capillary plate and the horizontal,the angle between the capillary plate and the axis of the reservoir waskept unchanged, so as to isolate the causative factor of any changesobserved. The effect of the angle of the capillary plate on the releaserate is quite pronounced. At a 0 degree angle between the plate and thehorizontal, at flush rates of both 50 and 250 ml of water, very littleliquid was removed from the reservoir after 112 flushes. That is, about95 percent of the liquid remained in the reservoir after the completionof 112 flushes at either 50 or 250 ml per flush, at a 0 degree angle.However, when the angle was changed to 30 degrees, only about 20 percentof the liquid remained in the reservoir after 112 flushes at 50 ml ofwater per flush, and at 250 ml per flush, only 20 percent of the liquidremained in the reservoir after only 80 flushes. Accordingly, it hasbeen found that the angle between the dispensing plate and thehorizontal should be greater than about 5 degrees, preferably betweenabout 10 and about 30 degrees, and more preferably between about 20 andabout 30 degrees. The reason for this difference in response to changeof angle between the dispensing plate and the horizontal is that withincreasing angle, the meniscus of the pendant drop which forms at theexit hole of the reservoir departs from axisymmetry. With increasingdeparture, a situation arises in which the meniscus becomes, withrespect to liquid in the reservoir, concave downwards on one side of theexit hole, and convex upwards on the other side. This makes it easierfor an air bubble to enter into the head space due to the vibrations andturbulence created during flushing. In fact, if the angle exceeds acritical value, the liquid may come out continuously while air isadmitted continuously on the other side of the exit hole. The value ofthis critical angle is dependent upon such factors as the size of theexit hole, the surface tension of the liquid, and the contact anglebetween the liquid and the solid surface of the reservoir.

The rheology of the liquid in the reservoir also has an influence upon anumber of parameters which affect the performance of the device. Theviscosity of the liquid offers the major resistance to the release ofthe liquid for a given positive overall driving force. Both viscosityand elastic properties of the liquid have an impact on the rate ofgrowth of instability at the air/liquid meniscus which forms either dueto the flushing action or due to the development of a sufficient vacuumwithin the head space of the reservoir for a given plate angle. Thus,the viscosity and the elastic properties determine whether an air bubblecan even move up into the head space, and if it can, they determine therate at which the bubble moves. If the liquid has a high yield strength,the air bubble may not be able to move upward into the head space. Whileelastic properties, e.g. yield strength, of the liquid product used inthe dispenser were not measured, viscosities were varied between 2000and 4000 centipoise to determine the release rates from the device attwo different plate angles (15 and 30 degrees.) One hundred flushes wereused for each of four combinations of reservoir liquid viscosity andangle. At the completion of the one hundred flushes, the percentage ofliquid remaining in the reservoir was determined for each of the tests.It was found that about 94.5 percent remained of a 3500 centipoiseliquid dispensed at 10 degrees, about 91 percent remained of a 2000centipoise liquid dispensed at 10 degrees, about 82.5 percent remainedof a 3500 centipoise liquid dispensed at 20 degrees, and about 80.5percent remained of a 2000 centipoise liquid dispensed at 20 degrees.Accordingly, it may be seen that the viscosity of the liquid has adefinite effect upon rate of dispensing, with lower viscosity liquidbeing more rapidly dispensed, and that higher angles between thedispensing plate and the horizontal also result in more rapiddispensing. While viscosities of up to about 10,000 are acceptable forthe liquid to be dispensed, it is preferred that the viscosity of theliquid be greater than about 1000, preferably greater than about 2000,and most preferably between about 2000 and about 4000.

The role of the capillaries in the dispensing plate on the release ratewas also considered. Using plates both with and without capillaries,experiments were performed to determine the release rates from thedevice at two different plate angles, (15 and 30 degrees), and twodifferent viscosities (2000 and 4000 centipoise). It was found that thecapillaries have a positive influence on release rate, particularly atlow viscosities and high plate angles.

Having described the means for moving liquid from the bottle 18 to aposition on the upper surface 42 of the dispensing plate 40, the use ofthe liquid dispensing device 10 can be described by reference to FIGS.12 and 13. FIG. 12 illustrates the configuration of the liquiddispensing device 10 when used with a toilet 16B with an open rim. Withthe liquid dispensing device 10 suspended from the rim of toilet 16B, itcan be seen that the stream of flushing water W will contact thedispensing plate 40 with each flush. FIG. 13 illustrates theconfiguration of the liquid dispensing device 10 when used with a toilet16A with a box rim. With the liquid dispensing device 10 suspended fromthe rim of toilet 16A, it can be seen that the stream of flushing waterW will also contact the dispensing plate 40 with each flush. When theflushing water contacts the dispensing plate 40 in FIGS. 12 and 13, theflush water mixes with the liquid present in the capillary channels 48on the upper surface 42 of the dispensing plate 40 and then isdistributed into the toilet.

After the flushing water washes liquid from a dispensing portion of thedispensing plate 40 into the toilet water, a fresh supply of liquid isdistributed from the bottle 18 to the capillary channels 48 as describedabove. In order to allow air to vent up into the bottle 18 when liquidis dispensed into the flushing water, there is provided a venting slot46 (shown best in FIGS. 8, 10A and 11A) in the upper surface 42 of thedispensing plate 40. The venting slot 46 provides a fluid path betweenthe collecting cavity 44 and the edge 43 of the base 24. The fluid pathpermits ambient air to enter the bottle 18 to displace liquid dispensedtherefrom.

Looking now at FIG. 14, there is shown an optional feature of the liquiddispenser 10 that serves to control the distribution of the liquidformula into the toilet water. Specifically, a deflector 55 is attachedto the edge of the dispensing plate 40 to further control thedistribution of the liquid formula into the toilet water. The deflector55 allows the liquid dispenser 10 to accommodate the wide variety oftoilet bowl contours in the numerous toilets on the market. In oneversion of the deflector 55, the deflector 55 is formed from a flexiblematerial and acts as flexible membrane, conforming to the shape of theinner surface of the toilet bowl allowing toilet flush water from thetoilet to be channeled over the dispensing plate 40, further insuringthat the liquid formula is washed into the toilet at every flush. Thisversion of the deflector 55 may be formed by a multi-injection moldingtechnique wherein two different thermoplastic materials, a soft wipermaterial for the flexible deflector and a harder material for thedispensing plate are molded together. In another version of thedeflector, the deflector is hinged to the edge of the dispensing plateso that the deflector can conform to the shape of the inner surface ofthe toilet bowl. In still another version of the deflector, thedeflector and the dispensing plate are configured such that thedispensing plate includes guide slots that engage the deflector andallow the deflector to slide toward and away from the edge of thedispensing plate so that the deflector can conform to the shape of theinner surface of the toilet bowl.

An alternative configuration of the piercing post of the liquiddispenser is shown in FIGS. 15 and 15A. In this embodiment, a piercingpost 27 a has a central venting conduit 28 a and fins 30 that extendoutwardly from the central venting conduit 28 a. The central ventingconduit 26 a and the fins 30 define feed conduits 31 a. An upper end 29a of the central venting conduit 28 a of the piercing post 27 a is usedto open the closure 20 of the bottle by causing the circular area 22 ofthe frangible seal 21 to fracture. The feed conduits 31 a are thenplaced in fluid communication with the mouth 19 of the bottle 18 andliquid may flow from the bottle 18 through the feed conduits 31 a andonto the upper surface 42 of the dispensing plate 40. In this embodimentof the piercing post 27 a, air is vented up into the bottle 18 through ahole 35 in the dispensing plate and through the central venting conduit26 a when liquid is dispensed into the flushing water.

Referring to FIG. 16, there is shown another version of a liquiddispenser 10A for dispensing a liquid from the rim of a toilet bowl. Inthis version of the invention, a modified base 24 a is used for holdingthe bottle 18. The base 24 a has essentially the same features as thebase 24 shown in FIGS. 1-9 and described above. However, a dispensinghole 38 a is provided at a central portion at the bottom of the piercingpost 27 of base 24 a and the base 24 a includes a lower plate 34 thatextends outwardly from a wall of the piercing post 27. The lower surfaceof the lower plate 34 also includes a flow groove 39 that serves tochannel liquid from the dispensing hole 38 a toward the edge of thelower plate 34. The liquid dispenser 10A also includes a dispensingplate 40 a that is integral with or attached to the base 24 a in spacedapart relationship with the lower plate 34 of the base 24 a. In thisconfiguration, an upper surface 42 g of the dispensing plate 40 areceives liquid from the feed conduit 31 through the dispensing hole 38a. The liquid dispenser 10A is configured such that the spacing betweenthe upper surface 42 g of the dispensing plate 40 a and the lower plate34 of the base 24 a varies along the length of the dispensing plate 40a. It can be seen in FIG. 16 that distance D1 is greater than distanceD2 between the dispensing plate 40 a and the lower plate 34 of the base24 a.

When the liquid dispenser 10A of FIG. 16 is installed on a toilet rim,the edge of the dispensing plate 40 a nearest the inner surface of thetoilet bowl and the edge of lower plate 34 nearest the inner surface ofthe toilet bowl are closest together. This is depicted as dimension D3in FIG. 16. As the dispensing plate 40 a and the lower plate 34 moveaway from the inner surface of the toilet bowl, the spacing between thedispensing plate 40 a and the lower plate 34 increases. At the edge ofthe dispensing plate 40 a furthest from the inner surface of the toiletbowl and the edge of lower plate 34 furthest from the inner surface ofthe toilet bowl, a venting space 58 is created between the dispensingplate 40 a and the lower plate 34 to allow air to vent up into thebottle 18 through the feed conduit 31 when liquid is dispensed into theflushing water.

It has been determined that the dispensing plate 40 a and the lowerplate 34 should be tilted downward in order for liquid formula toaccumulate on the dispensing plate 40 a and the lower plate 34 wherethey are closest together. Therefore, the lower plate 34 is inclinedwith respect to an inner surface of the toilet bowl when the liquiddispenser is installed on the rim of the toilet bowl. This is shown inFIG. 16 wherein the lower plate 34 is angled downward at an angle Y withrespect to horizontal line H. Also, the dispensing plate 40 a isinclined with respect to an inner surface of the toilet bowl when theliquid dispenser is installed on the rim of the toilet bowl. It has beendiscovered that by arranging the dispensing plate 40 a and lower plate34 such that angle Y is between about 10 degrees and about 30 degrees,enhanced liquid flow properties can be attained. In addition, wateruptake is minimized with the inclined relationship of the dispensingplate 40 a and the lower plate 34 relative to the inner surface of thetoilet bowl. A flexible deflector 55 a may also be attached to the edgeof the dispensing plate 40 a to further control the distribution of theliquid formula into the toilet water as described above.

The spacing between the dispensing plate 40 a and the lower plate 34 isvaried depending on the type of liquid used in the bottle 18.Specifically, it has been discovered that the viscosity of the liquidand the surface tension of the liquid are the critical factors indetermining the precise spacing desired between the dispensing plate 40a and the lower plate 34 at various points along the length of thedispensing plate 40 a and the lower plate 34. By arranging the spacingbetween the dispensing plate 40 a and the lower plate 34 in dependenceon the values of the viscosity and the surface tension of the liquid,the flow of liquid to the edge of the dispensing plate 40 a can becontrolled and therefore, the amount of liquid dispensed in each flushcan be controlled.

Referring now to FIGS. 17-28, there is shown yet another liquiddispenser 110 for dispensing a liquid from the rim of a toilet bowl. Theliquid dispenser 110 includes a bottle 118 for holding a liquid, a base124, an insert 193 which is attachable to the base 124 to define amounting structure 160 for holding the bottle 118, and a suspension hook112 for suspending the mounting structure 160 and the bottle 118 fromthe rim of a toilet. For ease of manufacture, the suspension hook 112,the bottle 118, the insert 193, and the base 124 may be formed asseparate components, as shown in FIG. 23. While a variety of materialsmay be used to form the suspension hook 112, the bottle 118, the insert193, and the base 124, it is preferable to manufacture these componentsfrom an opaque thermoplastic material such as a pigmented polyethyleneor polypropylene. The liquid used in the dispenser may be any liquidformula having the cleaning, foaming, disinfecting and fragrancingcharacteristics desired for the specific toilet cleaning application.

In a preferred form of the bottle 118, shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, thebottle includes a clear or transparent view stripe 123 which extendsvertically on a portion of the otherwise opaque bottle 118. This clearview stripe permits the user to see the remaining level of liquid in thebottle 118. The specific location and exact dimensions of the clear viewstripe in relation to the width of bottle 118 are not critical, so longas the contents of the bottle are readily viewable by the consumer. Inone preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottle 118 is loaded withapproximately 45 milliliters of liquid formula before the device ishooked on the rim of the toilet for use.

The insert 193 and the base 124 are assembled together in order to formthe mounting structure 160 for bottle 118. As shown in FIG. 23, acylindrical wall 180 extends outward from the lower end of the insert123 to thereby create an annular channel 137 surrounding piercing post127, the interior of which defines feed channel 131, which is used toconduct fluids form the bottle 118 when the liquid dispensing device 110is installed on a toilet rim. The cylindrical wall, or annular channelwall 180, which is the outer wall of annular channel 137, engages theouter surface of the mouth of the bottle 118 when said bottle is engagedwith piercing post 127, just as the piercing post 127 engages the innersurface of said bottle mouth, thus providing a leak-proof engagement ofthe piercing post and the mouth of the bottle. The annular channel wall180 of the insert 193 has outwardly protruding diametrically opposedtabs 182, and flexing engagement means 183, which aids in correctly andsolidly positioning the base 124 and locking the bottle in positionrelative to the base, while aiding in assembly of the components of thedispenser. Further details of the insert 193 may be seen in FIGS. 24-27,where it may be seen that the piercing post 127 defines feed conduit 131that terminates in a bottom or lower wall 186. As shown in FIGS. 24-27,lower wall 186 forms the bottom of the cylindrical conduit 131, and hasa dispensing hole 138 therein, which while preferably circular, may beoblong, as shown in FIG. 27a a dispensing hole 138 a. The lower wall 186also includes an upwardly extending projection 184, extending above anupper edge 129 of the piercing post 127. Further, lower wall 186comprises a riser, 187, which serves to separate lower wall 186 of thefeed conduit from the upper surface 142 of the dispensing plate 140.

The insert 193 and the base 124 are assembled together as follows. Asshown in FIG. 23, the base 124 includes an integral elongated uprightmember 126 which receives the insert 193. The insert 193 is moveddownwardly into the upright member 126 until the outwardly protruding,and preferably diametrically opposed tabs 182 on the cylindrical wall180 are positioned below, and engaged with, mounting clips 178 extendingupwardly from the base 124 (FIG. 26). Simultaneously, tab 183 engageswith the base 124, providing an additional degree of support security.At the same time, a guide channel 125, extending the length of theupright member 126 is formed between insert 193 and upright 126, intowhich channel the suspension hook 112 is inserted when the base 124 andbottle 118 are installed on a toilet rim. A lower end 113 of thesuspension hook 112 includes a tab portion 114 which engages the innersurface of the guide channel 125 in a press fit arrangement uponinsertion of the suspension hook 112 into guide channel 125, such thatthe suspension hook 112 remains attached to the base 124, as shown inFIGS. 25 and 25. It may be appreciated that the telescoping arrangementof the guide channel 125 and suspension hook 112 allows the liquiddispenser to fit a wide variety of toilet rim configurations. ViewingFIG. 23, it may be seen that the base 124 also includes a rear wall 136which terminates at an upper edge 132, creating a section of themounting structure 160 that supports the bottle 118 when the bottle isinstalled on the base 124.

Referring to FIG. 25, the installation of the bottle 118 on the mountingstructure 160 is shown in detail. The piercing post 127 of the insert193 comprises a cylindrical tubular section 128, forming the feedconduit 131. The upper edge 129 of the tubular section 128 terminatesobliquely to form an elliptical mouth.

The bottle 118 includes a circular mouth 119 that is covered by aclosure 120 that seals the liquid contents in the bottle 118 for storageand shipment, and until use. In the version of the bottle shown in FIG.25, the closure is a thermoplastic cap with a channel that engages acircular flange at the mouth 119 of bottle 118. Other closures, such asfoil or plastic film, are also suitable for scaling the mouth of thebottle. The central portion of closure 120, as shown in FIG. 25, has afrangible seal 121 with a circular area 122 of reduced thickness. Duringinstallation, the bottle 118 is oriented over the piercing post 127 suchthat the circular inner wall of the closure 120 approximately lines upwith the circular outer surface of the piercing post 127, and the bottleis moved in direction A, toward the base 124, until the upper edge ofthe piercing post 127 causes the circular area 122 of the frangible seal121 to fracture. The upwardly extending projection 184, on the lowerwall 186 of the insert 193, serves to keep the frangible seal 121 off ofthe upper edge 129 of the piercing post 127, preventing the frangibleseal from resealing the elliptical mouth of feed conduit 131 whileliquid flows from mouth 119 of the bottle 118 through the feed conduit131 and out of the dispensing hole 138 in the bottom or lower wall 186.Simultaneously, the mouth 119 of the bottle 118 is inserted into theannular channel 137 formed between wall 180 and the cylindrical tubularsection 128 of piercing post 127. By proper dimensioning of the piercingpost 127, the closure 120, and the mouth of bottle 118, a fluid tightseal is formed when the bottle is installed on the base 124.

Looking now at FIGS. 17-28, it can be seen that at the bottom of base124, there is a liquid dispensing plate 140 that assists in distributionof the liquid formula into the flush water. This dispensing plate may bea separate component attached to the base or may be integral to the base124 as illustrated. The dispensing plate 140 is preferably formed from anon-porous thermoplastic material, such as pigmented polyethylene orpolypropylene.

FIG. 28 illustrates the configuration of the dispensing plate 140. Itmay be seen that the dispensing plate 140 has a rim 166 at the perimeterof upper surface 142 having a series of capillary channels 148 whichradiate out from a collecting cavity 144 that is formed in the uppersurface 142 of the dispensing plate at a position inwardly spaced froman edge 143 of the base 124. The capillary channels 148 may have avariety of transverse cross-sectional shapes, as shown in FIGS. 29a-29f.

Observing FIGS. 29a-29 f, it may be seen that the capillary channels 148may have inclined side walls 177 that form various included anglesbetween the side walls, such as angle A¹ in FIGS. 29a and 29 c-29 f, andangle A² in FIG. 29b. The capillary channels may also have variousdepths, such as D¹ in FIGS. 29b-29 f, and D² in FIG. 29a. The center ofeach such capillary channel may also include an upwardly extendingprojection such as projection 179 a in FIG. 29c, which extends up to theupper surface 142 of the dispensing plate 140 and terminates in arounded upper surface with radius R¹, or a projection such as projection179 b in FIG. 29d, which extends a height H¹ above the upper surface 142of the dispensing plate 140. The lower portion of each capillary channelmay also terminate in a rounded lower surface with radius R² as shown inFIG. 29e. Each of the capillary channel configurations in FIGS. 29a-29 fmay be used in the dispensing plate 140, in order to create a dispensingdevice with particular liquid cleaner fluid delivery characteristics,i.e. viscosity, thickness, and surface tension. In an alternateembodiment, the capillary plate may comprise a recessed cavity in whichis placed a sintered porous plastic pad which may also serve as awicking device.

Referring again to FIG. 28, it can be seen that the dispensing plate 140also has two features which serve to limit the uptake of flush waterinto the bottle 118, by way of the collecting cavity 144. First, thedispensing plate 140 includes at least one barrier wall 154 surroundinga portion of the collecting cavity 144. These barrier walls 154 preventwater from entering the collecting cavity 144 from the sides and therear of the collecting cavity. Second, the dispensing plate 140 includesa pair of drain conduits 152, extending through the dispensing plate140. The drain conduits 152 function drain water from the area of thedispensing plate 140 near barrier walls 154. In addition, notches oropenings 188 are cut in the riser, 187, below the bottom or lower wall186 of the feed conduit 131, so as to improve flow of liquid from thedispensing hole 138 over the surface 142 of the base 124, via channels148. Selective removal of portions of the front and sides of the riserof the bottom wall, i.e. cutting notches or openings, has been found toaid in the venting of the bottle and draining of excess water away fromthe dispenser.

Turning now to FIG. 24, the positioning of the dispensing plate 140 withrespect to the other structures of the base 124 is best shown. Thedispensing plate 140 is attached, either as a separate step or as partof the molding of the base, such that the collecting cavity 144 of thedispensing plate is placed in fluid communication with the feed conduit131 of insert 193. In the version shown in FIG. 24, the dispensing hole138 at the bottom of the piercing post 127 provides a fluid path betweenfeed conduit 131 and the collecting cavity. As a result of thisconfiguration, liquid flows from bottle 118, into feed conduit 131 ofbase 124, through the dispensing hole 138 and into the collecting cavity144 of the dispensing plate 140. The liquid then flows from thecollecting cavity 144 into the capillary channels 148 in the uppersurface 142 of the dispensing plate 140. The liquid then continuestoward the outer end 150 of the capillary channels 148, where the liquidis dispensed to the toilet with the flush water as will be hereinafterdescribed.

The dispensing plate 140 may also include a vertical post 181, extendingupward from the dispensing plate 140 into the dispensing hole 138 andfeed conduit 131, for the purpose of breaking the surface tension of theliquid being dispensed, and thereby improving flow characteristicsthereof. As illustrated in FIGS. 24 and 25, the surface tension breakingpost 181 may preferably, but not necessarily, be centered in dispensinghole 138, and may rise a short distance above the surface of lower wall186.

Various means may be used to move the liquid from collecting cavity 144of the dispensing plate through the capillary channels to the outer end150 of the channels. First, the capillary action provided by adherenceof the fluid to the sides of the channels 148 will move the liquidtoward the outer ends thereof. Moreover, the channels 148 may have adepth greater than the depth of the collecting cavity 144, which servesto move the liquid toward the outer end of the capillary channels. Andpreferably, the dispensing plate 140 is inclined downwardly, at an angleof from about 10 to about 30 degrees from the horizontal, such that thecollecting cavity 144 is higher than the outer ends 150 of the capillarychannels. Of course, each of these method of controlling liquid flowfrom the collecting cavity 144 into and through the capillary channelsto the outer most areas 150 thereof may be used alone or in conjunctionwith the other methods.

Having described the means for moving liquid from the bottle 118 to aposition on the upper surface 142 of the dispensing plate 140, the useof the liquid dispensing device 110 may now be described by reference toFIGS. 30 and 31. FIG. 30 illustrates the configuration of a liquiddispensing device 110 when used in conjunction with a toilet 116B,having an open rim. With the liquid dispensing device 110 suspended fromthe rim, it can be seen that the stream of flushing water, W, willcontact the dispensing plate 140 with each flush, carrying fluid fromthe upper surface 142 of the dispensing plate 140 into the bowl of thetoilet. Similarly, FIG. 31 illustrates the configuration of a liquiddispensing device 110 used in conjunction with a toilet 116A having abox rim. With the liquid dispensing device 110 suspended from the rim oftoilet 116A, it can be seen that the stream of flushing water W willalso contact the dispensing plate 140 with each flush. When the flushingwater contacts the dispensing plate 140, the flush water mixes with theliquid present in the capillary channels 148 on the upper surface 142 ofthe dispensing plate 140, and is then distributed into the toilet bowl.After the flushing water washes liquid from the dispensing portion ofthe dispensing plate 140 into the toilet water, a fresh supply of liquidis distributed from the bottle 118 to the capillary channels 148 asdescribed herein. In order to allow air to vent into the bottle 118 whenliquid is dispensed onto the dispensing plate, there is provided aventing slot 146, shown best in FIG. 28, in the upper surface 142 of thedispensing plate 140 and through the rear edge 143 of the plate. Thisventing slot 146 provides a path between the collecting cavity 144 andthe atmosphere to permit ambient air to enter the bottle 118, todisplace liquid dispensed therefrom.

The use of the capillary dispensing channels implemented in the liquiddispensers 10 and 110 in accordance with the invention provides a linearand consistent amount of liquid to the flush water. One embodiment ofthe liquid dispenser is designed to last approximately one month, inaverage usage, providing consistent foaming, cleaning, disinfecting, andfragrancing at each flush, from the first to the last. It has beendiscovered that the use of capillary channels on the dispensing plate,as disclosed, is very significant in delivery of a steady level offragrance between flushes as the surface area of the capillary channelsinsures that adequate fragrance is delivered to the atmosphere aftereach flush.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can bepracticed by other than the preferred embodiments, which have beenpresented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation. Forexample, the liquid dispensing device may be used to dispense liquids inlocations other than the rim of a toilet bowl (e.g., a bathtub).Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to thedescription of the preferred embodiments contained herein.

Industrial Applicability

The invention may be used to dispense liquids from a reservoir orbottle, and in particular may be used to dispense quantities cleaningand/or freshening liquids from the rim of a toilet bowl.

What is claimed is:
 1. A liquid dispensing device for suspension from asupport, the device comprising: a bottle for holding a liquid, thebottle having a mouth and a closure covering the mouth; mountingstructure for holding the bottle, the mounting structure having apiercing post defining a feed conduit having, in use, a bottom wall,means for opening the closure of the bottle and for placing the feedconduit in fluid communication with the mouth of the bottle, and adispensing plate; and suspension means for suspending the mountingstructure from the support; wherein the dispensing plate has, in use, anupper surface having a collecting cavity in fluid communication with thefeed conduit and in fluid communication with a plurality of feedchannels in said dispensing plate, said feed channels being suitable toconvey the liquid from the collecting cavity to a dispensing position,which, in use, is on the upper surface of the dispensing plate, saiddispensing plate being, in use, downwardly inclined at an angle of atleast 5 degrees from the horizontal.
 2. The liquid dispensing device ofclaim 1, wherein: the suspension means comprise a suspension hook and aguide channel in the mounting structure, the suspension hook having alower end, the suspension hook being slidably inserted in the guidechannel such that the lower end of the suspension hook engages an innersurface of the guide channel.
 3. The liquid dispensing device of claim1, wherein: the piercing post has a cylindrical tubular section, and themeans for opening the closure of the bottle comprises an obliquelytruncated end portion of the tubular section.
 4. The liquid dispensingdevice of claim 1, wherein: the closure of the bottle comprises afrangible seal configured to be broken by pressing against the endportion of said piercing post.
 5. The liquid dispensing device of claim4, wherein: the mounting structure further comprises means for keepingat least a section of said frangible seal off of the end portion of thepiercing post after said frangible seal is broken.
 6. The liquiddispensing device of claim 5, wherein: said means for keeping at least asection of the frangible seal off of the end portion of the piercingpost comprises a projection that extends above the end portion of thepiercing post.
 7. The liquid dispensing device of claim 1, wherein: saidmounting structure holds and supports said bottle in an invertedposition with the mouth of said bottle projecting downwardly, in use, soas to dispense liquid from said bottle by gravity.
 8. The liquiddispensing device of claim 7, wherein: said feed conduit is surroundedby an annular channel having an outer cylindrical wall, the interior ofwhich wall engages the outer surface of the mouth of said bottle, saidwall further providing a plurality of means for engaging said dispensingplate, and said dispensing plate, in use, is downwardly inclined at anangle of from about 5 to about 20 degrees from the horizontal.
 9. Theliquid dispensing device of claim 1, wherein: said dispensing plate, inuse, is downwardly inclined at an angle of from about 20 to about 30degrees from the horizontal, and said dispensing plate is spaced apartfrom the bottom wall of said feed conduit by a riser, said riser havingopenings therein to permit venting of said bottle.
 10. The liquiddispensing device of claim 9, wherein: said dispensing plate furthercomprises at least one barrier wall surrounding at least a portion ofsaid collecting cavity.
 11. The liquid dispensing device of claim 10,wherein: said dispensing plate further comprises at least one drainconduit for draining water from said dispensing plate in the area ofsaid at least one barrier wall.
 12. The liquid dispensing device ofclaim 10, wherein: said dispensing plate further comprises a ventingslot whereby atmospheric air may enter said bottle to displace liquiddispensed therefrom into the flushing water.
 13. The liquid dispensingdevice of claim 10, wherein: said dispensing plate further comprises avertical post which, in use, extends vertically into the dispensing holeof said bottom wail of said feed conduit to break the surface tension ofthe liquid being dispensed.
 14. The liquid dispensing device of claim 1,wherein: said dispensing plate, in use, is inclined downwardly from saidcollecting cavity to said dispensing position at an angle of from about10 to 30 degrees from the horizontal, and said liquid has a viscosity offrom about 2000 to about 4000 centipoise.
 15. The liquid dispensingdevice of claim 14, wherein: said feed channels radiate outwardly fromsaid collecting cavity.
 16. The liquid dispensing device of claim 15,wherein: at least a portion of the feed channels have a depth greaterthan the depth of the collecting cavity.
 17. The liquid dispensingdevice of claim 16, wherein: said dispensing plate further comprises atleast one barrier wall surrounding at least a portion of said collectingcavity.
 18. The liquid dispensing device of claim 17, wherein: saiddispensing plate further comprises at least one drain conduit fordraining water from said dispensing plate in the area of said at leastone barrier wall.
 19. The liquid dispensing device of claim 18, wherein:said dispensing plate further comprises a venting slot wherebyatmospheric air may enter said bottle to displace liquid dispensedtherefrom into the flushing water.
 20. The liquid dispensing device ofclaim 19, wherein: said dispensing plate further comprises a verticalpost which, in use, extends vertically into the dispensing hole of saidbottom wall of said feed conduit to break the surface tension of theliquid being dispensed.
 21. The liquid dispensing device of claim 20,wherein: said bottle has a view stripe which, in use, extends verticallyon a portion of the bottle, the view stripe being suitable fortransmitting light from outside the bottle to inside the bottle.
 22. Theliquid dispensing device of claim 21, wherein: the device is a dispenserfor dispensing liquid from the rim of a toilet bowl.
 23. The liquiddispensing device of claim 22, wherein: said dispensing plate includes arim at the perimeter thereof.
 24. A device for dispensing a liquid fromthe rim of a toilet bowl, the device comprising: a bottle for holding aliquid cleaning agent, the bottle having a mouth and a closure forcovering the mouth; mounting structure for holding said bottle, saidstructure comprising a piercing post defining a feed conduit, saidpiercing post suitable for opening the closure of the bottle andestablishing fluid communication between the mouth of the bottle and thefeed conduit, means for keeping at least a portion of the closure off ofthe end portion of the piercing post after said closure is opened, and adispensing plate; and suspension means for suspending the mountingstructure from the rim of a toilet bowl; wherein said dispensing plateis, in use, downwardly inclined at an angle of at least 5 degrees fromthe horizontal and has, in use, an upper surface having a collectingcavity in fluid communication with said feed conduit and in that theliquid has a viscosity between about 2000 and about 4000 centipoise. 25.The device of claim 24, wherein: said feed conduit further comprises aplurality of means for engaging said dispensing plate and saiddispensing plate comprises a plurality of feed channels, the feedchannels being suitable to convey the liquid from said collecting cavityto a dispensing position which, in use, is on the upper surface of thedispensing plate.
 26. The device of claim 25, wherein: said feed conduitis surrounded by an annular channel which engages the mouth of thebottle, the exterior wall of said feed conduit providing at least threemeans for engagement of said dispensing plate.
 27. The device of claim26, wherein: the feed conduit comprises a lower wall having a dispensinghole therein, said lower wall spaced from said dispensing plate by ariser having openings therein to permit venting of said bottle, and saiddispensing plate is, in use, downwardly inclined at an angle of fromabout 10 to about 30 degrees from the horizontal.
 28. The device ofclaim 27, wherein: said dispensing plate includes at least one barrierwall surrounding at least a portion of the collecting cavity.
 29. Thedevice of claim 28, wherein: the dispensing plate has a surface tensionbreaking post which, in use, extends upward from the collecting cavityinto the feed conduit.
 30. The device of claim 29, wherein: thedispensing plate includes a rim at the perimeter thereof, and at leastone drain conduit extending through the dispensing plate for drainingwater from said dispensing plate in the area of said at least onebarrier wall.
 31. The device of claim 30, wherein: said dispensing platefurther comprises a venting slot whereby atmospheric air may enter saidbottle to displace liquid dispensed therefrom into the flushing water.32. The device of claim 31, wherein: said dispensing plate furthercomprises a vertical post which, in use, extends vertically into thedispensing hole of said bottom wall of said feed conduit to break thesurface tension of the liquid being dispensed.
 33. The device of claim32, wherein: said bottle has a view stripe which, in use, extendsvertically on a portion of the bottle, the view stripe being suitablefor transmitting light from outside the bottle to inside the bottle. 34.The device of claim 33, wherein: at least a portion of the feed channelshave a lower surface that is, in use, inclined downwardly with respectto a lower surface of the collecting cavity.
 35. The device of claim 29,wherein: the dispensing plate includes a deflector secured to an edge ofthe dispensing plate, the deflector being dimensioned so as to besuitable to contact an inner surface of the toilet bowl when the deviceis installed on the rim of the toilet bowl, and said dispensing plateis, in use, downwardly inclined at an angle of from about 20 to about 30degrees from the horizontal.